Toy typewriter



April 23, 1946.

5. l. RGER TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l V 0 54 Y 46 10 mv oR I jffiezyef BY s/ 0 ATTORNEYS I April 23, 1946.. s. [BERGER 2 TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Jamelcm. :zono

.64" 1 r 5' A 1 5 3Q -L I P INVENTOR 75 Samuel (Berger ATTORNEYS April23, 1946.- BERGER 2,398,765

TOY TYPEWRIT-ER .Filed Nov. 2, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 T I a2 29 3 as I P 28 I I -ll 57 7. L 62 vs 421 7 I III. J06 J02 v lNVENToR fiamaellfieryer ATTORNEYS A ril 23, 1946. s, ERGER 2,398,765

, I Filed NOV. 2," 1945 4 Sheet-Shet 4 "I .2. v [I .5. y 95 93 I, H T 91 L ii 91 H :i 872 n INVENTQR 22 Samuel Z Zeryer ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 23, 1946 UNITED STATE S PATENT" OFFICE 2,398,765 TOY TYPEWRITER Samuel 1. BergenNewark, J. Application November 2, 1945, Serial No. 626,199 .18 Claims. (oi. 197 47) f It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a front strike toy typewriter which will type satisfactorily substantially all of the parts of which are of sheet metal and rod stock and which is yet of rugged construction, which shall generally simulate a portable typewriter in its appearance, and'which .in use shall simulate the action and sound of such portable typewriter.

Among the features of the present invention are the mounting of the type wheel in a carriage pivoted to a standard mounted onthe base, and a type lever pivoted to the standard, operating through a transmission to tilt the carriage with its type wheel forward for typing against the front of the platen. p

A selector arm moves the type wheel about its axis in the carriage for selecting the character to be typed, said arm being pivoted on the carriage mount and operating through a gear transmission to rotate the type wheel, the latter having a ratchet wheel coaxial andrigid therewith held by a spring urged pawl to maintain the type while in its set position, said pawl being released in the initial movement of the selector arm, preparatory to selective rotation of the type wheel.

The type lever has associated therewith a rocking disk which is connected by a rod to an escapement unit coacting with a rack lengthwise of the platen and preferably that disk is also alternatively under control of a spacer bar at the front of the base.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the toy typewriter,

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse cross section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 viewed from the left rather than from the right of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, i

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5, showing the relation of the parts in typing position, r

Fig. 7 is a iragmentaryview similar to Fig. 6, showing the spacer bar operation,

Fig. 8 is a detail'sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 in normal setting,

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the escapement operation, Fig. 10 is a viewin transverse section taken on line L40 of Fig. 2, showing the platen construction,

Fig. 11 is a view in transverse cross section takenonlin'e H-ll of Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on line" I 2-l2 of Fig. 10,

Fi 13 is a detail elevation showing the type selector armin type wheel release position, and

Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional detail view taken on line [4-44 of Fig. 2.

Referring" now to thedrawings, the toy typewriter has' a sheet'metal base B comprising a short'front wall l5, a higher rear wall l6, trapezoidal'end walls I! and an upwardly inclined platform l8 upon whichis desirably imprinted the keyboard IQ 'of a conventional typewriter. The platform is desirably stiffened by a central channel bar l8 extending from the front to the rear wall thereof; Upon the rear part of the base B is desirably riveted as at 20, a sheet metal strip presenting inturned edges 2| forming tracks for slidab'lymounting the platen P to be described hereinafter, which has outturned edges 22 riding in said tracks.

Centrally upon the inclined base is mounted the type and type-actuating mechanism. This construction comprises a standard S, preferably a U-shaped sheet metal piece, the base or crossbar 23 of which is. afiixed as by clinching at 23' to the base and the side walls 24 and 25 of which rise from said base.

Between the standard walls 24, 25 is a carriage C, said carriage being desirably a U-shaped piece also of sheet metal, the legs 26 of which are near the respective side walls of the standard and pivoted about a cross shaft 21. The carriage has a rotatableaxle 28 therethrough rigidly mounting the type heads which are desirably on a type wheel T of construction conventional in toy typewriters, in whichthe rim 29 bears the sequence of letters,. numerals and punctuation marks 3!]. The conventional inking roller 3| is on a sleeve .32 between the arms of a bail 33 pivoted about axle 28 and is held in place by removable spring fork 34, one leg of which extends through sleeve 32, both legs passing through slots 35 in the bail arms and. one. of said legs being hooked over at 36. The bail 33 is held in fixed position by a wire 31 hooked into one. bail arm at 38 and an- 7 chored to the base B at its opposite end at 39, for convenience at eye," on the fixed escape ment box 4|. The inking roller can readily. be replaced by removal thereof with the wire holder therefor in. manner no part of the present invention.

spring 69 anchored at oneend'to thefb For rotating the type wheel to select the letter, numeral or mark to be typed, a selector arm 4| is provided, which arm is rigidly affixed to one end of the carriage-mounting cross shaft 21 for rocking the latter. Rocking of the cross shaft 21 effects rotation of the type wheel T through a transmission which comprises a sector gear 42 affixed to the opposite end of cross shaft 21, preferably at the exterior of the standard wall 25. Sector gear 42 meshes with a pinion 43 rigid with the type wheel axle 28. The carriage side wall 26 has an outstanding pin 44 through an arcuate slot 45 in the sector, the ends of the arcuate slot limiting the displacement to one complete rotation of the pinion and of the type wheel T aflixed thereto.

To secure the type wheel in the position of adjustment effected by the mechanism just described, a ratchet and pawl arrangement is preferably provided, including a ratchet wheel 46 affixed to the endof the type" wheel axle-28 adjacent the selectorarm 4|. Restraining ratchet wheel 46. is -a pawli-tooth 4'! that projects outward from near'th'emuter end of apawl plate 48 pivotally afiixed as byrivet 49 against'thecarriage wall 26. The outer end of pawl plate 48 overlaps the standard wall 24. The pawl tooth 41' is-urged to mesh with the ratchet wheel 46 by a coil spring 59 anchored at one end to lug on the carriage and at the other to lug 52 on the pawl plate.

The pawl tooth 41 is released from locking position preparatory to rocking selector arm 4| about its pivot for the desired type setting, by equipping said arm 4| with a slide member 53 extending longitudinally thereof. and afiixed to said arm by pins 54 slidable alongcorresponding.

outstanding lug 58 integral with the pawl plate 48 which lug is curved aboutthe shaft 2'! and cut away at 59' to permit free movement of the ratchet wheel 46. Desirablya pin 69 protruding from the carriage and sliding in an arcuate slot 8| in said pawl plate 48, guides release of pawl tooth 41. I

For effecting the typing operation with the type wheel selectively set as-J I f'ribed, a type lever L is provided, which is ream of sheet metal and includes a hand-operated cross bar 62 with a pair of lateral lever arms or wings 63 integral therewith, extending rearward therefrom and pivoted about a cross shaft 64 near the forward part of the standard S. The rear ends of the lateral lever arms are linked .to the carriage C to rock the same forwardabout its pivot2'l for typing. To this end a cross pin 65 through the rear part of the type lever arms 63 extends'through lateral links 66 desirably adjacent the respective arms 63. Links 66 are'desirably connected by cross bar 61 into one unitary piece and are pivoted about cross pin 68 between the, side walls 26 of the carriage C. I j f,

Preferably the type leyerL'ijs fn'ormally maintained in its raised or inactive positio ya. leaf I aseiplatform l8 and conformed at th othergas -at 10 to the convex under face o f thetype lever cross bar. To prevent loosenes's' links 66 are extended, as shown at 66', to bott against platform l8 under the expansion of s'prmg- 6 9..

Normally the carriage C is locked in inactive position, to which end a hook 1| formed at the engagement and upper edge of one lever armi63, rides over an ward from the case.

outstanding lug 12 at the corresponding side 26 of the carriage C. Desirably the pin is disposed in elongated slots 13 in the link arms 66 to afford a lost motion connection along which the initial depression of the type lever L occurs to clear the hook H from the lug 12 before the forward tilting of the now released carriage C takes place.

Preferably the typing mechanism described is enclosed in a unitary sheet metal hood H of ornamental character, the side walls 14 of which have outstanding foot ledges l5 afiixed as by screws 16 to the platform I8. The sides 14 of the hood are connected by a unitary arcuate face plate 11 terminating at an edge 18 through which the cross bar 62 of the type lever L protrudes. The selector button 56 protrudes from the arcuate face plate 11- through an elongated slot 19 therein along which rides the slide lever 53. The face plate 11 is reinforced by a cross strip 89 between the otherwise open ends of the slot 19. The face plate has imprinted thereon, as shown, the sequence of letters, numerals and punctuation marks along which a sheet metal pointer 8| rigid with the button 56 rides for selective setting of the type wheel T.

Desirably a spring wire 32 anchoredat its upper end to hood H presses outwardly against sleeve 32 and thereby normally holds the inking roller 32 out of contact with the type wheel as best shown in Fig. 5.

The type lever L also controls the'operation of the escapement for stepping forward the platen. To this end there is rotatably mounted upon the type lever mounting cross-shaft 64, an escapement operating rocking disk 82, through an aperture 83, in which is hooked the forward end of a rod 84 extending rearward therefrom and actuating the escapement within case 4|. The rocking disk 82 is actuated by a tension link 85 pivoted at one end about pin 68 on the carriage C and pivoted by pin 85 at its other end near the periphery of the disk 82, so that the, disk is caused to rock backward about cross shaft 64 in the forward rocking movement of the carriage C and thereby pulls the rod 84 forwardly for actuating the escapement.

The escapement may be of any of a variety of forms, one desirable construction shown being that of my prior Patent No. 2,007,359, dated July 9, 1935, and which, therefore, need be but briefly described. The escapement may include an operating bell crank lever 8'! pivoted by rivet 88 to the face of the escapement case 4|, to the arm 81' of which is afiixed the escapement operating rod 84. To the arm 8'! of said bell crank lever is pivoted at 89 the escapement operating lever 90 which extends longitudinally of the case 4| and has the toothed end 9| protruding rear- The detent pawl member 92 extends between the bell crank lever 8'1 and the operating pawl 99, transversely of the case 4| and is guided through slots 93 and 94 in the side walls of the case and is urged to normal detent position by a leaf spring 95v anchored at the exterior of the case 4| and reacting against the downturned end or root 96 of said member 92. A coil spring 97 is anchored at one end to a hook 98 on the pivoted end of the operating pawl 99 and at the other to hook 99 on the case.

The toy typewriter also desirably has a. spacing lever near the front thereof by which the escapement is, of course, also operated. This lever is desirably a sheet metal plate I00 afiixed about the correspondingly frame-shaped end ll of a width of said platform and is pivoted desirably at its outturned end I04 in a sleeve I05 on the rear, wall I 6 and is urged upwardly by a leaf spring I riveted at I01 to the rear wall I8 and engaging said wire at its end. Looped about a notch I08 in said wire I 02 is an upstanding operating wire I09 which is hooked at II 0 into the escapement operating rocking disk 82. Topermit operation of the disk by the type lever inde-- pendently of the spacer bar, the hook IIO passes through an elongated arcuate slot I I I in the. disk 82 and similarly to permit movement of said disk by the spacer bar independently of the type lever, the pin 86 of the tension link 85 passes through an arcuate slot II2 in said disk 82.

The platen, desirably of sheet metal comprises a channel base I I3, the forward wall of which has transverse slot indentations I I 4 forming the rack. Aflixed to the ends of said channel plate are sheet metal end plates H5, desirably flanged at H6 and embracing the extremities of the cylindrically curved sheet metal plate I H, which simulates the platen. The inner edge of sheet II! is turned inward as at H8 and along the forward face of said platen sheet is a strip H9 desirably of yielding rubber, of suitable hardness which takes the impact of the type.

To simulate the rotation of the platen and paper feed, a rectangular shaft I29 bearing in end plates II extends axially through the platen structure and has buttons I2I on the extremities thereof. Shaft I20 mounts a pair of rubber rollers I22 exposed through corresponding slots and coacting with corresponding rubber rollers I23 near the ends of a longitudinal rod I24 bearing in outstanding tongues I25 on the platen piece III.'

To simulate the ratcheting action in the platen movement, a radially crimped metal washer I25 about the square shaft I20 rides on radiating teeth I21 on the end plate H5 against the resistance of a strong leaf spring I28 anchored at I29 to said end plate and engaging the crimped washer.

Preferably the platen is also provided with a paper bail I39 of metal ribbon longitudinally of the platen II? with arms I3I extending between the ends of the platen and the operating buttons I2! and through which the shaft I20 extends. The bail is movable about the shaft in the insertion of the paper, against the resistance of a coil spring I32 anchored at one end to the platen base and at the other near the outer end of the bail arm I3I.

The operation will be briefly set forth. To select the desired character on the type wheel T,

the button 56 is first depressed, thereby causing the slide member 53 to move along the selector arm 4! and its toe 51 to depress the pawl plate 48 against the resistance of spring 59, thereby to release the pawl tooth 41 from the ratchet wheel 46. With the selector slide thus depressed and the pawl released, the button 56 is then moved forward or backward, as the case may be, along the slot I9 until the pointer'8l reaches the selected character on the face plate H. In this operation, the cross shaft 21 is rocked with selector arm M, thereby rocking the sector gear 42 thereon to turn the pinion 43 and with it the type wheel T. Upon release of the button 56, the type wheel T remains in set position, the spring 59 on the pawl plate 48 returning the pawl tooth 41 between teeth of the ratchet wheel 46, to lock it in place.

. By depression of the type lever L, typing is now effected. At the beginning of such depression, the hook II becomes disengaged from the lug I2, the slots I3 permitting the required lost motion movement of the type lever. Thereupon, thefurther depression of the type lever against the resistance of spring 69 transmits thrust through the links 66 to cross pin 69 to rock the carriage C about shaft 21, and with it the type wheel T toward printing position. The first part of the carriage rocking movement brings the type wheel into contact with the ink roller 32, whereupon in the further rocking movement of the carriage the roller is moved upward through a short are by the action of link -3I,-out of the path of the now inked type, which moves to typing position as best shown in Fig. 6. Thus the ink is not wastefully spread over many of the type heads in the selective adjustment of the type wheel as would be the case were the wire 32' not used.

In the operation set forth, the pin 86 through link 85 rocks the disk 82 rearward, thereby moving the rod 84 forward and operating the escapement in manner above described. In this action, the wire'link I09 from the spacer bar I09 moves freely in the arcuate slot III. I

Upon release of the type lever L, spring 69 returns the same to idle position and through links 66 pivots carriage Cforward about its shaft 21 to the position shown in Fig. 5, the final movement of the type lever taking up the lost motion in slots I3 to cause the lower end 66' or links 68 to bottom against platform I8,,spring 32' to move the ink roller away from the type wheel and hook II on the type lever to look over lug I2. Thus the machine is ready to be selectively set for another typing operation, while the parts are maintained'free from rattle and looseness between successive typing operations.

Thespacer bar I00 may be depressed to actuate the escapement independently of the typing mechanism, the operation being effected through the rod I02 against the resistance of spring I06. The upright wire link I 09 will thus move the disk 82 in the same manner as does the tension link ferent embodiments, of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Atoy typewriter comprising a base, a platen at the rear thereof, a standard rising from said base, a type wheel carriage pivotally mounted on said standard. atype wheel mounted thereon in front of said platen on an axis parallel to the pivot of said carriage for rotary displacement thereof from setting to setting, meanson said carriage for adjusting the setting of said type wheel, said means comprising a manually oper ated member having a rocking bearing mount fixed in said standard and parallel tothe axis of said type wheel, a transmission between said member and said type wheel, and a type lever base, a type wheel carriage having a horizontal pivot in said standard, a rotatable type wheel horizontally pivoted in said carriage and extending in front of said platen, a type lever pivoted to said standard, said lever having a linkage connection to said carriage for moving the type wheel to typing position.

4. A toy typewriter, comprising a base, a U- shaped standard thereon having a cross piece afiixed to, and side walls rising from said base, an inverted U-shaped carriage having side walls between and adjacent the respective standard walls, a horizontal pivot insaid standard walls, a-rotatable type wheel straddled by said carriage and having an axle therein, a sheet metal type lever having parallel lateral wings extending rearward therefrom adjacent the side walls of the standard and pivotally mounted near the forward end of the latter, a cross pin connection between the rear ends of said lever, and links pivoted near one end thereof about said cross-pin connection, said links being rigidly connected near the other ends thereof, said cross-pin having a lost motion connection with respect to the links, the type lever having a locking tongue, the carriage a coacting locking lug and said lost motion connection permitting clearance of the looking tongue prior to rocking movement of the carriage by the lever.

5. In a toy typewriter, the combination of a base, a platen at the rear thereof, a standard on said base, a carriage mounted on said standard, a type wheel mounted on said carriage on an axis parallel to said platen, said carriage and said type wheel having parallel pivot mounts, means for locking said wheel against rotation, said means comprising a ratchet wheel coaxial and rigid with said type wheel and a pawl restraining said ratchet wheel and having a manual operating member for releasing the ratchet wheel, means coacting with said manual operating member for rotating the wheel to set it for typing any selected character, spring means for restoring the pawl to reengage the ratchet wheel and restrain the type wheel in selected position, and spring resisted means for moving the carriage with the type wheel to typing position.

6. In a toy typewriter, the combination of a base, a platen on said base, a standard rising therefrom, a carriage movably mounted on said standard, a type wheel pivotally mounted in said carriage on an axis parallel to said platen. a spring actuated lock for holding the type wheel against rotation from character selected position, said lock comprising a ratchet wheel coaxial and rigid with said type wheel, a pawl coacting therewith and means comprising a manually operated lever for releasing the pawl and rotating the type wheel to selected position.

7. A toy typewriter, comprising a base, a stand ard rising therefrom, a carriage pivotally mounted on said standard, a type wheel pivotally mounted in said carriage, means for setting said wheel to type any selected character, said means comprising an arm having a pivot coaxial with that of said carriage, a ratchet wheel coaxial and rigid with said type wheel, a spring-urged pawl tooth normally locking said ratchet wheel in any position of adjustment, said arm having an operating finger piece, means under control of the latter for releasing said pawl tooth, a gear rigid with said carriage pivot, and adapted to be rotated by the rocking movement of said arm and a pinion coaxial and rigid with said type wheel and meshing with said gear.

8. A toy typewriter, comprising a base, a standard rising therefrom, a carriage pivoted to said standard, a type wheel pivoted to said carriage, a ratchet wheel and a pinion both coaxial and rigid with said type wheel, a pawl having a pivot mount on said carriage and coacting with said ratchet wheel for locking the type wheel in selected position of adjustment, a segment gear rigid with the carriage pivot and meshing with said pinion, mean for setting the type wheel, said means comprising an arm keyed to the carriage pivot, said arm having a spring returned slide member directed lengthwise thereof, with a hand operated outer extremity, said pawl being under control of said slide member for release thereof when said slide member is depressed, so that in the subsequent rocking of the depressed slide member with the arm, the rack and pinion are actuated for rotary adjustment of the type Wheel.

9. The combination recited in claim 8, in which the sector gear has an arcuate slot and the carriage has an outstanding pin riding therein, the extremities of the slot determining the limits of one complete turn of the type Wheel.

10. The combination recited in claim 8, in which the pawl is rigid with a heet metal lever, and a spring connects the end of said lever to said carriage normally to urge the pawl into locking position.

11. The combination recited in claim 8, in which the slide member lengthwise of the type wheel adjusting arm thereof has outstanding pins passing through elongated slots in said arm for sliding adjustment therealong, in which the pawl tooth protrudes from a sheet metal lever and in which said sheet metal lever has an outstanding projection rigid therewith and in the path of slide movement of the inner end of the slide member.

12. The combination recited in claim 8, in which a type lever is pivoted to the standard and has a linkage connection to the carriage for moving the latter about its pivot to typing position and in which a cover piece attached to the base embraces the standard, the carriage and the type wheel, with the operating end of the type setting slide member exposed and in which said end has a pointer and the cover has the characters imprinted thereon along the path of said pointer.

13. In a toy typewriter, the combination of a base, a standard rising therefrom, a carriage movably mounted on said standard, and having typing heads movably mounted thereon, a type lever, a pivot rod therefor in the standard, a platen. an escapement for controlling the advance of said platen, a spacer bar. a rotary disk coaxial with the pivot rod, said disk being under the control both of said type lever and said spacer bar, a'rod pivotally connected to said disk and extending forward therefrom to the escapement, said disk having a connection thereto from the type lever and having a second connection thereto from the spacer bar, said disk having lost motion slots at said respective connections to permit idle movement with respect to the other connection upon operation of either the type lever or the spacer bar.

14. The combination recited in claim 13, in which the spacer bar has a carrying rod extending through a slot in the base and has a right angle extension pivoted to the rear wall of the base and a leaf spring afiixed to the rear of the base urges said rod upward, resiliently to maintain the spacer bar in upper position, said rod having an upstanding wire afiixed thereto with its end hooked in said disk.

15. In a toy typewriter, the combination of a base, a U-shaped sheet metal standardaffixed thereto and having side walls rising therefrom, an inverted U-shaped sheet metal carriage pivoted to said standard, a type wheel straddled by said carriage and pivoted thereto, a sheet metal type lever havinglateral rearwardly extending wing and having a pivot rod near the forward end of the standard, a pivot pin through the rear ends ofsaid wings, links adjacent the respective wings, pivoted to said pin at one end and pivoted to said carriage at the other, for transmitting thrust from said type lever to rock the carriage to typing position and means for manually setting the position of the type wheel, said means being pivoted to the carriage mounting pivot and having means coacting with the typ wheel for rotating the latter.

16. A toy typewriter comprising a base, a slidable platen structure at the rear thereof havin a fixed yielding impact strip at the front thereof, a typing mechanism in front of said platen comprising a standard, a carriage pivoted thereon having a type wheel on an axis parallel to said platen rotatably mounted thereon, means for locking said wheel against rotation, said means comprising a ratchet wheel coaxial and rigid with said type wheel and a pawl having a manually operated member for releasing the ratchet wheel, means coacting with said manual operating member for rotating the wheel after release thereof, to set it for typing any selected character, a type lever and a transmission under control thereof for tilting said carriage with its type wheel forward about the pivot thereof for typing engagement with the forward part of the platen.

17. In a toy typewriter, a base, a type wheel having a horizontal axle, a carriage supporting said type wheel, means for moving said carriage to typing position, an ink roller near said type wheel and in the path of movement of the selected type head to typing position and a spring fixed with respect to said base at one end and reacting against said roller, near the other normally to maintain the roller out of contact with the type wheel for engagement by the latter in the forward movement of the carriage, and means actuated from the moving carriage to move the roller out of the path of further advance of the type wheel to typing position;

18. The combination recited in claim 17 in which the means actuated from th moving carriage comprises a bail pivoted at one end coaxially with the type wheel, said bail mounting the ink roller near the opposite end thereof, in which the carriage moves by a rocking action and a hood fixed to the base which mounts the ink roller defleeting spring, and in which a link pivoted at one end to the base, is pivoted to said bail at the other end and deflects the inking roller along the type wheel out of the path of typing in the course of the movement of the carriage to printing position.

SAMUEL I. BERGER. 

